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Mikel Arteta is approaching an important time in the nascent stages of his Arsenal reign.

Having assumed head coach duties in December, the highly-regarded Spaniard’s rebuild will take shape during his first summer transfer window in charge.

There is no shortage of speculation surrounding possible comings and goings at the Emirates Stadium in the months ahead, with Gunners fans keen to learn who will follow William Saliba to north London.

According to the Daily Mirror, Carlos Soler may be one of them. As per the report, Arteta is said to be keen on the Valencia midfielder, who reportedly has a £140million release clause in his contract.

And while the Gunners may not be willing to meet that eye-opening price, Soler represents an exciting proposition for Arteta’s Arsenal.

Since making his Los Che debut in December 2016, Soler has established himself as a key figure at the Mestalla.

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Capable of playing centrally or on either flank, the Spain U21 international was a major component under former Valencia boss Marcelino.

In the 2018/19 season, he made 51 appearances in all competitions, including seven during the club’s successful Copa del Rey campaign. That summer, he underlined his burgeoning reputation by featuring in Spain’s triumph at the European U21 Championships.

Soler was often deployed on the right of Marcelino’s 4-4-2, where he used his pace and vision to influence Valencia’s attacks and create chances for his teammates. Last season, for example, he created 40 chances in 2,460 minutes of La Liga action - or once every 61.5 minutes - and notched 11 assists in all competitions.

Technically proficient, he is adept at operating with the ball at his feet in tight spaces but can often be the man to drive into space, with or without the ball, to stretch an opponent.

This season, however, following Macelino’s departure, Soler has been moved to the left by Albert Celades, where he is free to cut inside and influence the attack centrally.

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He has honed a reputation as an accurate crosser of the ball, so it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Arteta may see Soler as someone who can consistently find the predatory Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the box.

An excellent runner, Soler makes a concerted effort to fulfill his defensive responsibilities, particularly while playing out wide. This, too, would be an attractive attribute for Arteta given his desire to tighten up the defence.

But Soler’s running is more effective in creating holes in the opposition’s back-line. While he is predominantly accustomed to finding teammates in behind with a probing pass, Soler himself can make intelligent, angled runs that prise defenders out of their base position.

Soler’s strengths lie in quick decision-making and passing. With an abundance of talent capable of playing out wide, it’s likely that Arteta would seek to deploy the 23-year-old centrally.

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Given that Soler is adept at playing short, sharp passes in and around the box (he averages 32.69 short passes per 90 minutes this term), he has the potential to form an effective understanding with Arsenal’s attackers.

If he has a shortcoming, it’s in the goalscoring department, having managed only 11 in 141 games for Valencia. While he would be relied upon predominantly for his creative capacity, the inability to contribute goals would likely attract scrutiny over time.

Arsenal have had mixed fortunes with recent technically gifted Spanish imports, but should they plump for Soler, the young midfielder has the ability to succeed where Denis Suarez and Dani Ceballos have failed.